


A desert rose by any other name

by Thosesweetninjas



Category: Naruto
Genre: Kankuro listens to Nicki Minaj, Lee just wants to call his bf cute nicknames, Lee's great nickname campaign, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-24 19:15:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20912714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thosesweetninjas/pseuds/Thosesweetninjas
Summary: In which Lee tries out nicknames. Also known as Lee’s great nickname campaign.





	A desert rose by any other name

**Author's Note:**

> I was supposed to post this before I posted the Long rat AU but inspiration struck so YEET  
Just Lee trying to give Gaara a nickname but he's a sap who does like anything Lee would call him but the amount of love Lee puts into saying his name is much sweeter.  
Kankuro listens to nicki Minaj okay? He just does.

** **

“Hey Love” Lee approaches Gaara, who is seated at his desk. He looks up at Lee who has placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Love?” he asks with an incredulous look.

“I said I was going to give you a nickname, I won't stop until I find the perfect one” 

“Oh of course, I was just surprised” 

“Do you like ‘Love’?” Lee presses a kiss against Gaara’s hair. 

“I don’t mind it” he huffs a small smile on his face.

“Hmmm, I have many more suggestions to try, I promise I will find the right one! Even if it takes all our lives” 

“That’s quite a promise there Lee”

** **

* * *

** **

“Gaara, my love” Lee walks into the kitchen, Gaara is chopping vegetables. He pauses and looks up at Lee, he’s blushing and it’s not from the heat of the kitchen. Lee smiles, bright and genuine

“Is ‘My Love’ any better?” Gaara looks down at the vegetables 

“A bit better” he says and rubs the back of his hand against his cheek, he can feel his cheeks flush Lee can probably notice.

* * *

** **

“Darling” Lee says, Gaara is up reading it’s 1am and the Suna heat has been stifling, “Come to bed, it’s late” 

Gaara looks up at Lee. "Darling huh?" His eyes feel tired, much like the rest of his body.

"Do you like it?"

"I could get used to it" Gaara gets up and stretches before joining his boyfriend.

** **

* * *

** **

"My most precious person," Lee leans his forehead on Gaara’s shoulder. Gaara is reading some mission reports. Gaara hums affirmatively and shifts his glasses. 

“Yes, Lee?” Gaara reaches up to pat Lee’s hair affectionately. 

“Just needed to see you” He says rather shortly, it’s odd for Lee who says every word with a passionate arguably youthful fashion. “I’m right here and not going anywhere until lunch time, Come out with me?” Gaara leans his head against Lee’s, Lee snakes his arms around Gaara’s shoulders and hums into his shoulder.

“Do you like ‘My most precious person’ ?” Lee sneaks a glance upwards but all he can see is most of Gaara’s neck and some red from his hair. 

“It’s sweet. I do like it,” Gaara looks to the desk and beyond that, anything Lee says is enough for him but the fact that Lee is putting so much effort into trying to give him a nickname is heartwarming.

** **

* * *

** **

“Babe” Gaara snorts into the water he’s drinking. Lee has a shocked expression on his face “Are you alright?” He sounds rather frantic 

“You’re calling me ‘Babe’” is this the apocalypse?” Gaara can’t help but laugh, the nicknames haven’t been overly cute yet but he finds the situation rather laughable.

“Do you not like it?” Lee looks rather worried 

“No it’s not that, I just find it amusing that I’d be the person who someone could call ‘Babe’” “How about baby then?”

“I like anything you’d call me because it’s you. You’re going to so much effort I appreciate that. I think Babe or Baby would make me laugh though” 

** **

* * *

“Honey, I’m home” Lee enters their home, rather calmly today, Gaara looks up from his seat on the couch with what seems to be a raised eyebrow. Lee is looking at him expectantly, focused only on Gaara. “Hmm? Hmm?” He seems to ask with his eyes 

“It’s a cute nickname” 

“Is that a yes?” 

“You could call me anything and I’d love it Lee” 

“I don’t want it to be just anything” Gaara can’t help but smile at his boyfriend, his genuine and very lovely boyfriend, he hopes the sentiment is conveyed within his gaze.

** **

* * *

** **

“Sweetheart?” Lee asks, Gaara is trying and failing to stretch on their living room carpet, he’s not very flexible in the first place - much less comparatively to Lee who’s essentially a green pretzel with leg warmers. Gaara looks up at him and blinks, he’s doing some complicated position. 

“Need some help?” Lee asks and holds out a hand, Gaara unfolds himself and takes the hand up. 

“Sweetheart?” He queries Lee nods

“Any good?” 

“It’s sweet” he replies, and smiles at his boyfriend not meeting his eyes, a slight flush on his cheeks - because of the exercise or Lee’s devotion to the perfect nickname can’t be proven.

** **

* * *

** **

“Hello precious” Lee kisses Gaara’s cheek, they’re in their living room, Gaara reading through a worn paperback. He blinks up owlishly at Lee 

“Precious.” He says it more as a statement rather than a question, Lee nods does his thumbs up pose 

“This nickname is sweet and encapsulates what you are, in this case precious” Lee places both hands either side of Gaaras face

“Can I kiss you?”   
Gaara stifles a laugh “Please” he gazes into Lees eyes, framed by thick eye lashes and the words most intense eyebrows. 

** **

* * *

“Good evening My Beloved” Lee shouts from the kitchen, Gaara has only just walked in through the door. 

“Beloved” he mouths to himself with a small smile, it turns into more of a smirk as he’s trying to hide the expression. He walks into the kitchen, Lee is stirring a pot of curry, Gaara squeezes his shoulder as he walks by him to pick up an orange. 

“So beloved” Gaara says looking at his hands peeling the fruit. Lee is most likely grinning at him 

“Do you like it? Is it a nickname worthy of all you are?” Lee sounds very enthused 

“I like it… very much” Gaara chances a glance at his boyfriend, yep a 100 gigawatt smile. “I’m glad you like it my beloved” He turns the pot down to simmer and places a sweet kiss on Gaara’s cheek moving in a trail of kisses to his lips. “I still have more nicknames though” 

“Of course you do” Gaara sounds slightly exasperated but it’s for a very, very good reason as he kisses Lee again.

** **

* * *

** **

“Love of my life... Man of my dreams” Lee quickly pecks Gaara’s cheek with a kiss, before he dashes off to change. Gaara huffs exasperated, his wonderfully determined youthful boyfriend may just be the death of him. He doesn’t seem to mind the plethora of nicknames being thrown his way. 

** **

* * *

“How is my one and only?” Lee walks into Gaaras office in their home, he’s brought two hot cups of tea with him. He leans against Gaaras desk and places one on the coaster there.

Gaara looks up at him “A nickname?” Lee hums affirmingly

“I like it” He blows on the tea and takes a tentative sip

“I’m glad” Lee grins, that smile just sends his heart into overdrive every single time. 

** **

* * *

** **

“Hey beautiful” Lee blows him a kiss with a wink. Beautiful? Gaara pauses halfway through taking off his coat, it’s only slightly different than what he usually wears, the same maroon colour. 

“Beautiful?” He says, wide eyed and dumb founded, he’s only ever heard himself described in rather intense terms like stoic, sharp, feral, manical, strange, unnerving the list goes on. He swallows and glances away from Lee, feeling his face flush. 

“Did I say something wrong?” Lee asks, concern present in his voice   
“No, I just, people don’t call me beautiful or attractive to my face” since he’s become Kazekage that has changed a little but it’s still there, this hesitancy.   
“Do you like it? I think you’re both of those things”

“Not as a nickname but the compliment is nice.”

** **

* * *

“Boo” Lee places his hands on Gaara’s shoulders, Lee isn’t the stealthiest ninja but he didn’t try to hide his entering of Gaara’s office

“Are you trying to scare me? That was poorly executed” Gaara looks up from his papers “No it’s just that people sometimes call their partners boo, it’s supposed to be a cute thing”

“I wasn’t aware of that” Gaara squeezes one of Lee’s hands on his shoulder. “It’s cute” Lee pulls Gaara's hand towards him and places a kiss on the back of it.

* * *

** **

“Muffin… Cupcake?” 

“I’m not food, unless you want to…?” Lee implodes “You can eat something like a cupcake” Gaara fucking winks and Lee shrinks down in his chair, trying to contain the blush on his cheeks.

“I know it was supposed to be cute, blame Kankuro’s music” Gaara leans forward and kisses Lee’s forehead

** **

* * *

“Cuddlebug?” Gaara is sitting on Lee’s lap, Lee is pressing kisses to the side of his head, “Cuddle bunny?” His jaw “Cuddle desert hare?” his neck.

“That should be a nickname for you instead” 

“Really?” Lee is wide-eyed as if he hadn’t realised the nicknames could be for him as well. 

“Do you want a nickname too?” 

“If it’s no trouble, I mean that’s quite presumptuous” Lee is probably blushing but Gaara can’t see from there.

“You could’ve asked for one if you wanted one, I do like saying your name. Your nickname campaign has made me appreciate them a bit more though… Cuddlebug” 

Might as well be a 1 hit-KO “How have I been so lucky to have such a great boyfriend?” Lee squeezes Gaara in a tight hug, resting his forehead on Gaara’s shoulder. Gaara presses a kiss to Lee’s hair.

** **

* * *

“Cutie” Lee squeezes Gaara’s hand

“I’m cute am I?” Gaara raises a pale eyebrow at his overly enthusiastic boyfriend

“Yes!” Lee says with absolute certainty 

“Alright” Lee fist pumps

** **

* * *

** **

“Gaara dearest” Gaara looks up, his lips forming a small ‘o’ shape.

“Dearest?” Gaara blinks at Lee, he’s not heard many people use “dear” or “dearest” but it sounds very homey to him, warm and comfortable, especially when coming from Lee.

“You like it?” Lee leans forward, visibly excited.

“It’s… nice” Gaara smiles at his boyfriend, Lee blows him a kiss which he catches.

** **

* * *

** **

“How are you Dumpling?”

“Are you trying to get us to take a snack break?” Gaara breaks the Taijutsu stance he was just in. 

“Food nicknames can be cute”

“Oh” Gaara picks up his things “A snack break wouldn’t hurt though, want to have lunch?” 

“Sure, do you not like the nickname?”

“Anything you’d call me would be cute” The fact that it’s Lee putting in so much effort is endearing, he already admires Lee’s work ethic. His dedication to finding the seemingly perfect nickname for Gaara is all the more heart warming.

** **

* * *

** **

“Hey Handsome” Lee drapes himself over their shared sofa, he’s laying just close enough that he can lean his head on Gaara’s arms. 

“Handsome.” Lee nods “You really think so?” 

“Of course” Lee stares up at him from where he’s laying. Lee is just so sincere sometimes, Gaara just finds it hard to rebuke or even accept. He can’t help the slight blush on his cheeks from Lee complimenting him so unabashedly 

** **

* * *

“Kitten” Lee says with a quick kiss to his cheek, Kankuro walks into their living room.

“Oh Kitty’s got claws alright” Lee flushes slightly embarrassed. “Do I want to know?” Kankuro asks and drapes himself on their couch, his legs on Gaara’s lap, he looks from Kankuros legs on his lap to Kankuro, who leans back and raises his eyebrows.

“I’m trying to find the right nickname for Gaara” Lee proclaims with a fist pump, Gaara has an odd expression, between Kankuro draping himself across the Kazekage and his furniture and Lee’s nicknames there’s a lot going on. Kankuro rolls his eyes and opens a pack of crisps.

“Like it?”

“I’m neutral” Gaara says and tilts his head as if considering it, not seeming to care that Kankuro has draped himself comfortably over him and the couch.

** **

* * *

“Hey, Lover Boy” Gaara coughs to cover his surprise at both Lee and this nickname. Gaara makes eye contact with Lee and can’t help but smile a little bit. 

“Hey” Lee raises an eyebrow at him “I don’t mind that nickname”

“It’s still not right?” Lee pouts

** **

* * *

“Hello Munchkin” Lee looks up from his stretches, cooling down after training.

“Munchkin? Are you saying I'm short?” Gaara looks perplexed, but he has a wry smile, “We have a 5cm height difference Lee that’s 2 inches” he leans against the door frame, Lee can’t help but laugh at the playful expression on his boyfriends face, Gaara’s ever been one to think about height in that I want to be tall fashion.

“Isn’t that from the Wizard of Oz or something” 

“Oh maybe”

“Where did you get that list?” 

“Research and some sources who don’t want to be named” 

“Huh, there are certain means of persuasion we have here in Suna you know” Lee raises an eyebrow.

“Really? Why haven’t I heard about then til now? Have I gotten security clearance or something?” 

“I was going to try to persuade you by asking you to dinner, it’s nothing work related”

“Oh if you mean that bakery with the strawberry shortcake, that might be a step in the right direction” Lee winks with a thumbs up.

* * *

** **

“Hey Peaches” Lee says as Gaara walks into their kitchen, groggy from a nap.

“Kankuro told me I wasn’t supposed to send Peach emojis to anyone, is this a reference to that?” 

Lee is horrified “No Peach is like sweet, ‘you’re a peach, very sweet’ not anything vulgar… Well I didn’t mean it in that way.” Gaara raises his eyebrows at Lee, very faint pale eyebrows.

“Your hair gets lighter in the sun, it’s almost like a peachy pink colour” 

Gaara raises his hand to his hair “It does?”

“Mmm like highlights, it’s subtle. Do you like it?”

“It’s nice, some people might think you’re saying I have a nice ass though” Gaara smirks at Lee, he’s gotten very used to teasing him over these sometimes questionable nicknames.

** **

* * *

“Prince of my heart” Lee is holding Gaaras hand as they walk through the rather empty side streets of Suna.

“I’m the Kazekage thats higher rank” Gaara replies, he’s been more open to teasing Lee recently with the whole nicknaming thing Lee has set his heart on. 

“Well then.. Kokoro...Kage” Lee snaps his fingers

“Heart shadow?” Gaara side glances Lee “I appreciate the sentiment, it could get confusing for others though”

“I still have more on my list, We’ll find a suitable one!” Lee squeezes Gaaras hand to which he squeezes back.

** **

* * *

** **

“Pumpkin” Lee states, Gaara looks at him puzzled.

“Is it Halloween?”

“No, well I mean yes but as a nickname” Lee replies, Gaara seems to be contemplating it.

“My hair isn’t very orange though is it?” He has a kind of amused smirk on his face.

“No but it’s cute isn’t it” Gaara nods in agreement “Okay then… Pumpkin” Gaara laughs into his hand and glances at Lee from his book.

** **

* * *

** **

“Good morning sweetness” Lee trudges into their kitchen and kisses Gaaras cheek, it’s one of the rare days where Lee has not gone out to train ridiculously early which is entirely Gaaras fault.

“I’m not that sweet, I’d probably be spicy… Like a chilli” Lee stifles a laugh against Gaaras shoulder.

“Nah he’s a right sourpuss” Kankuro pipes up from his chair across the table.

“Oh you would know” Gaara replies back, Lee goes to serve himself from the pile of pancakes. 

“I have to deal with you after council meetings, sour for sure” Kankuro grins, emphasising his words with vague gestures of a fork. Lee counts this as a win.

** **

* * *

“Shortcake, strawberry shortcake” Lee mumbles as he leans on Gaaras shoulder

“That’s one of your favourite desserts” 

“why yes it is” Lee nods, Gaara winks at him. Lee combusts, combust is a very apt word for this situation.

“Were you not trying to be enticing?” Gaara asks perplexed.

“No but I” He muffles the rest of his sentence into Gaaras should who laughs

“It was supposed to be cute then?” 

Lee nods into his shoulder, he leans back and looks at Gaara with nothing but adoration “You’re my favourite” Gaara can’t help but press a sweet kiss to Lee’s lips, then his cheek, then his forehead. 

“You’re mine too”

** **

* * *

** **

It ends with him saying "Gaara" and a sweet kiss. That’s what he likes hearing from Lee the most, the yearning when Lee says his name. The “Gaa-” In a sing song tone, the softer inflection of “-ra” it sends shivers down his spine when he hears his name used with such love.

Unlike all the whispers of Gaara of the sand, Gaara of the sand waterfall, Gaara of the desert when Lee whispers "Gaara" all he feels is love.

** **

* * *

** **

Honourable mentions:

** **

“Lee where did you get these nicknames?”

“I read icha icha paradise okay”

Gaara has heard Naruto go on about the erosannin who wrote these works

“Lee you read mediocre het porn for me?”

Kakashi swears by them...

Kakashi is very gay, a diversion, did he actually enjoy them? Was Jiraiya a good writer?

** **

\---------------

** **

Bambi????? Me bambi?? Lee wtf, BAMBI… You're calling me Bambi, me Gaara of the desert Bambi?!!??? Bambi doesn't have a death count

“You don’t know Bambi could” “Bambi most certainly has not” 


End file.
